Little Akira The Tokyo Terrorist!
by Simply Kim
Summary: A sequel to the weird fic "Umm... Kae-CHAN!") they thought their worst (or best, depending on your point of view...) time had passed, never to return again... well, think again!
1. Part 1: What They Cretainly Hadn't Plann...

Author: Simply Kim E-Mail: cheng1812@yahoo.com Title: Little Akira... The Tokyo Terrorist! Genre/ratings: (Shounen-ai /Yaoi) (Humor / (a bit of) Angst) Length: (Still undecided) 1/? Disclaimers: The series I'm referring to obviously do not belong to me, only the story does.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
In the last chapter of "Umm... Kae-CHAN?!"...  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
DURING RUKAWA'S MAKE-UP CHEM CLASS...  
  
  
  
"Kaede-kun, stop playing around with that beaker or else you're going to tip that over." Hanagata warned the younger boy. "This is a part of the Chem. test that you missed last week, so. do your best. Ne?" He grinned. "Weird, but I remember myself administering the same test to Sendoh last year!"  
  
"Hai, Hanagata-sempai." Rukawa smiled softly, his eyes trying to gauge the strength of the Pyrex beaker he was holding. "Oops." He muttered as an aromatic liquid dripped on the linoleum floor. "Ah, I'll just wipe it off later." He decided as he moved to the other end of the laboratory table.  
  
"Hey Toru-chan!" Fujima suddenly called out as he entered the laboratory. "Almost time for practice! Is the Chem. absentee doing well?" Mischievous blue eyes turned to the other's concentrating form.  
  
Rukawa stopped pouring and raised a flask of greenish-blue liquid in shy salute. Fujima grinned, turning back to the bespectacled boy, playfully taking away the wire-rimmed glasses off the bridge of his nose.  
  
"Kenji-kun!" Hanagata protested, trying to claim back his precious eyepiece.  
  
Rukawa continued pouring, and was increasingly becoming alarmed as he saw the other flask turning a dark shade of red. Hmm. according to the book, this should be turning blue, not red. he must have done something wrong.  
  
"Rukawa-kun, have you seen my ball? We're one ball short and Maki's turning into a real pain in the ass screaming his brains off and cursing whoever it was who stole the goddamned ball! We need it for practice..." A male voice sounded behind him. Startled, he raised his eyes abruptly, and almost melted at the sight of the elder boy who was standing very close to him. He had finally admitted to himself that he liked the sometimes-annoying porcupine... well, more than he liked the others.  
  
"Oh, Sendoh. uh. you forgot... when you left the gym yesterday... umm... my duffel bag is... right there." He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the package counter where Kogure Kiminobu was sitting in, reading a thick hardbound book.  
  
The older man nodded and his eyes shifted to Rukawa's experiment, his eyes widening. "I recognize that solution... Hmm. It's already black and wait... Does it have to make bubbles? Hmm. Where have I seen that solution before..."  
  
By then, Rukawa was obviously transfixed, Sendoh's question barely registering in his mind. He turned dazedly and his eyes widened in panic as he saw his concoction turn bubbling black. In surprise, he caught hold of it and was about to dump the thing in the sink directly behind him when he slammed into another body, the impact not lost on him as he rebounded, his thighs hitting the edge of the long Formica table, rattling the paraphernalia sitting peacefully on it.  
  
"EEYAGH!" He heard the older boy yelp. In horror, Rukawa's eyes bulged. Sendoh's body was drenched with the black liquid, staining the slightly rumpled red polo shirt, the liquid dripping on the floor as soon as droplets formed at the edge of the fabric. Rukawa closed his eyes, gripping the now-empty flask he held in his hand, waiting for the blow that he knew anyone with a sane mind would deal him for destroying a favorite shirt.  
  
"Gomen... Gomen... Gomen!" He said repeatedly, waiting for a fist to connect with his jaw. There was none. All he heard was a dull poofing sound and then a slight tug on his jeans. He opened one eye.  
  
Sendoh was nowhere in sight.  
  
"Where is he?" Fujima cried out in alarm as he scrambled to where Rukawa was standing helplessly.  
  
"What happened?" Hanagata asked in panic, noting the cloudy smoke that dwelled above them. "Oh no. NOT AGAIN!"  
  
The slight tug was there again, and this time Rukawa complied, his eyes straying on the floor.  
  
"AKIRA-KUN!"  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Part 1: Something They've Never Planned  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
"I'm going to call the captain!"  
  
"."  
  
"."  
  
"?"  
  
"Sugoi... Rukawa-sempai, how did you do that?"  
  
"Rukawa-kun, what have you done?!"  
  
"Nyahahahahaha! Revenge at last!"  
  
"GO AWAY!"  
  
*Whack! *  
  
"This isn't a time for yakking about revenge, Sakuragi-san!"  
  
"I know, Hikoichi, but I can't help it! It's just too good an opportunity to pass up! Nyahahahahaha!"  
  
*WHACK* "Shut up!"  
  
"ITAI!"  
  
"Why? What happened NOW?"  
  
"It was an accident..."  
  
Everyone was gathered outside the huge laboratory doors, listening to the shrieks of incredulity and alarm, coupled with anger, and a distinct sound of a child yelling for everyone to get lost. They exchanged confused and curious looks; each determined to know why such noises existed inside the normally opulent facility. They vaguely remembered a phenomenon of the same sort a year ago, but they were not so sure...  
  
Inside, a hilarious yet alarming picture was painted as a raven- haired boy yelped in alarm as the looming features of a curly-haired woman wielding a dangerous-looking paper fan materialized before him, being held back by her panicked boyfriend.  
  
"Nyahahahahaha!" A red-haired guy laughed out loud as he towered over a frail-looking child of about eight years who was glaring at him, his features so fierce that the frail-looking player in his team jacket faltered in the act of giving comfort.  
  
"Revenge! At last, justice is applied - ITAI! What was that for?"  
  
"Shut up Sakuragi, you're not helping!" A matured-looking man glared at him, his fist still on top of the loudmouthed fiend.  
  
"Teme old man! Now I'm thoroughly convinced that you're another Gori!"  
  
That earned him another punch on the head as the basketball team captain breathed rapidly, trying to control his increasing ill temper. "Say that again and I'll kill you! Now, quit it! If you don't shut up this instant, I'll kick you off the team!"  
  
"But I'm not playing in team anymore!"  
  
* WHACK! *  
  
"ITAI!"  
  
"Uh, guys, just calm down." Adjusting his glasses, a sweet-looking guy smiled soothingly at the two. "Fighting won't help. we just need to think of a way to solve this problem of ours... strange, I could practically hear myself saying the same words last year. Aren't we having the same conversation?"  
  
"We had the same conversation because we had the same problem a year ago, remember?" His boyfriend said wryly, sitting on one of the Formica tables as he gestured towards the violent thrashing as their team manageress struggled to be set free enough to land her fan on the perpetrator's dark head.  
  
"Yeah, Megane-kun How - ITAI! STOP HITTING ME ALREADY!" Sakuragi Hanamichi yelped, rubbing the three lumps that were now peeking through the mass of red hair.  
  
"Stop calling him Megane-kun! You have no respect for your elders!"  
  
"Maki-kun, I'm fine with it really." The bespectacled boy smiled as he adjusted his glasses. "I say that everyday..."  
  
"Hn." Maki Siniichi glared at Sakuragi, willing him to shrivel under his gaze - all to no avail. "He deserves every hit."  
  
"Amen to that!" Mitsui laughed, clinging to the edge of the table for balance, the laughter earning a homicidal look from the redhead.  
  
"Micchy! Omae o korosu!" Sakuragi seethed as his older friend just grinned slyly back at him, deliberately ignoring his threats.  
  
"You wouldn't want to do that, or I'll tell Fuji-chan that you wear polka-dotted -" He said dismissively.  
  
Sakuragi turned as red as his hair. "You wouldn't!"  
  
Mitsui grinned evilly. "Try me."  
  
"Stop fighting all of you!" Kogure sighed in frustration. "We cannot solve anything in this state. Aya-chan, stop that and leave the poor guy alone."  
  
"This. * WHACK * is. * WHACK * not. * WHACK * a. *WHACK * poor. *WHACK * guy! *WHACK* *WHACK* *WHACK*" Ayako shrieked as she finally landed well-aimed blows on the poor boy who was by now covering his head for protection from the fan's trusty wallops. Koshino, her boyfriend, lay on the floor, swirly-eyed and unconscious.  
  
Everyone sweatdropped.  
  
"Ayako-neechan... it was an... Ite... accident!" The man being pounded cried out in his defense. "Tasukete..."  
  
"You are at fault, whether accidental or not." Hanagata, who was standing by the window said matter-of-factly, gesturing at the child who continued to glare. "And he is enough proof of your carelessness. What would we think?"  
  
"Hai, Hanagata-sempai is right. It's your fault Rukawa-kun!" Aida Hikoichi quipped, finally prying Ayako's fingers from her lethal paper fan.  
  
Rukawa gave him a grateful look and glanced at the pouting little boy. "Hai, it was my fault..." After a few moments of silence, he sighed, straightening up and gazing out the window dejectedly.  
  
"At least, now we can turn him back to his true form." Fujima smiled hopefully, his eyes misting over as a sharp blow from the boy hit him on the jaw. "We HAVE to!"  
  
"We have the formula from last year, I saved it for future emergency purposes... I just did not know that it would come earlier than expected." Hanagata nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"I saved a copy too." Kogure smiled. "Copied the whole thing in Word and sent it to my e-mail."  
  
"Yosh!" Maki clapped twice. "Let's go out to Toru's lab, and then we'll transform the kid back to his original size!"  
  
"What about practice, Maki-sempai?" Misuzawa Ichiro, the latest addition to the team asked, scratching his head in utter confusion. He had never known the basketball team captain to shirk practice even for a major incident like this. He had been the second assistant manager after his sempai, Aida Hikoichi, became a playing vice-manager this year, so he knew. Practice was not cancelled, even when Mitsui called in for damage on his past-injured knee.  
  
He was not well versed with what happened last year. All he knew about it, was that some sort of potion made by Sendoh-san shrunk his Rukawa-sempai, and after more than a whole month, finally brought him back to normal. He was sure that the other newcomers were in the dark with it too... Hmm. Maybe he should ask Hikoichi about it later...  
  
"This is more important than practice!" Maki declared.  
  
"Oi, oi, and my knee injury is not important?" Mitsui protested.  
  
Maki seemed to consider this, finally nodding as he came to a conclusion. "Actually, yes... and a huge resounding no."  
  
The former gangster glowered at him, pouting irritably. "What does that mean?"  
  
"Ah, guys," Kogure, the ever-present mediator laid a calming hand on Mitsui's tense thigh. "We have things to do... don't start arguing now, Onegai..."  
  
With his lover's words resonating in his mind, Mitsui immediately clammed up; smiling slightly at the look of gratitude the bespectacled boy gave him.  
  
"Ok, people, let's go." Hanagata said calmly, leading the way, stopping abruptly as Fujima whimpered painfully. He immediately turned out of panic. Something might have happened to his love!  
  
Turned out that Fujima was struggling to get little Sendoh Akira to go with him, only to come up with an empty hand and, another bruise on his pale jaw. He immediately bounded over to him and tilted his face up a bit. He sighed in relief to see the unbroken skin. "Daijoubu?"  
  
"Ah, I'm fine, just a little shaken up. He packs a mean punch..." Fujima said weakly, edging away from the sullen boy.  
  
"Akira-chan, stop doing that, it's not right, he's older than you are." Hanagata chastised, laying a gentle hand on the boy's dark mane.  
  
However, his hand was batted away, and Sendoh neither said nor did nothing but stick out a rebellious tongue and glower some more. This was getting ugly.  
  
/How am I going to get him out of here? / He thought exasperatedly. /Little Kae-chan wasn't this difficult... this one's cut out to be a gangster! /  
  
THWAP!  
  
Then, the boy fell unconscious.  
  
Every person in the room sweatdropped as Rukawa towered over his newest victim. He looked so scary, that even Maki stepped slightly back.  
  
"Do'ahou." He muttered, picking Sendoh up and hoisting him on his shoulder. He looked up with blazing and determined eyes towards Hanagata and nodded. "Sempai."  
  
The team's center player smiled in admiration. /Only Kaede had the guts to strike Sendoh down. Heh, very impressive. He dealt with the whole thing with necessary violence that we did not even dare to administer. /  
  
This is going to be interesting.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
Fujima was the first to let out an agonized wail as soon as the smoke cleared.  
  
Everyone just stared stupidly, blinking multiple times as the object of their experiment remained unconscious...  
  
And still an eight year old.  
  
Kogure shifted his stare at the empty beaker he was holding, trying to think of what had gone wrong. They had made the potion thrice, and still...  
  
What had they done wrong?  
  
He sighed, looking back at the young sleeping form of Sendoh Akira. "I don't believe this."  
  
Hanagata nodded in assent. "Me either."  
  
Mitsui stared harder, trying to digest the glaring truth. The kid wasn't going to be the annoying porcupine soon. "Tell me about it."  
  
Fujima's blue eyes held every emotion possible - however, the most disconcerting was that, the HORROR became the most prominent of them all. Jin noted this fact, his mind straying to what happened between the boy and the current vice captain a while ago.  
  
He deemed the reaction normal - Sendoh, as a child was insufferable! He was nowhere near as their dear little Kae-chan, and he found himself wishing that the kid sleeping was indeed Rukawa Kaede in his eight-year-old form. He sighed. No use in dwelling on that now, they have a BIG problem.  
  
A gargantuan problem.  
  
How do they transform him back?  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
TBC  
  
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A/N: Hi guys, it's me again! ^_____^ I finally decided to make a sequel for "Umm... Kae-CHAN?!" I hope you'd also have the heart and the time to support this one! Reviews minna! I'm forever thankful for your feedbacks! ^______^ Until the next chapter then! ^_____^ 


	2. Part 2: Keeping Tabs With Sendoh'a Cheer...

Author: Simply Kim E-Mail: cheng1812@yahoo.com Title: Little Akira... The Tokyo Terrorist! Genre/ratings: (Shounen-ai /Yaoi) (Humor / (a bit of) Angst) Length: (Still undecided) 2/? Disclaimers: The series I'm referring to obviously do not belong to me, only the story does.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Part 2: Keeping Tabs With Sendoh's Cheerful Self  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Life sucks."  
  
"Serves you right for making that mistake."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know... but it was an accident, I swear!"  
  
"Everyone knows that Kaede-chan."  
  
Fujima patted the distraught boy on the shoulder comfortingly. His blue eyes crinkled with humor. "You know, it might be real fun if you let it."  
  
Rukawa rolled his eyes and buried his head on Fujima's shoulder, groaning. "Easy for you to say, it wasn't your favorite basketball that got shredded."  
  
The older man giggled as he smoothed the other's raven locks. "There now, don't be so bitter. You wanted to replace worn bouncing rubber a couple of years ago, remember?" He gave Rukawa a warm hug.  
  
"Oi, stop that, I'm getting jealous."  
  
Rukawa lifted his head and smiled wanly at the newcomer. "Toru- niichan."  
  
Hanagata Toru sat down and ruffled his hair. "Why so glum?" His brows arched in question as he shifted his gaze to the motherly stance of his lover. "Any problem I can help you with?"  
  
"You already helped too much Toru-niichan." Came the weary response, the raven head buried again in the comforting nook of Fujima's slender neck. "I miss my basketball."  
  
Fujima's eyes were filled with worry as they met Hanagata's. "He's taking it too hard."  
  
"Who wouldn't?" Rukawa muttered darkly.  
  
Hanagata's brown orbs took on a sympathetic edge. /He's right... who wouldn't? / He thought absently as he stroked his charge's unruly hair. /Who wouldn't? /  
  
  
  
FLASHBACK: HANAGATA  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
Fujima was the first to let out an agonized wail as soon as the smoke cleared.  
  
Everyone just stared stupidly, blinking multiple times as the object of their experiment remained unconscious...  
  
And still an eight year old.  
  
Kogure shifted his stare at the empty beaker he was holding, trying to think of what had gone wrong. They had made the potion thrice, and still...  
  
What had they done wrong?  
  
He sighed, looking back at the young sleeping form of Sendoh Akira. "I don't believe this."  
  
Hanagata nodded in assent. "Me either."  
  
Mitsui stared harder, trying to digest the glaring truth. The kid wasn't going to be the annoying porcupine soon. "Tell me about it."  
  
Fujima's blue eyes held every emotion possible - however, the most disconcerting was that, the HORROR became the most prominent of them all.  
  
"OH NO."  
  
Everyone turned their heads towards their second-time captain.  
  
"What is it Maki-sempai?" Koshino asked curiously, his hand unconsciously clutching Ayako's clammy digits.  
  
"He's turned back to being an eight year old kid." Maki, for the first time was sheet-white[1]. "This is terrible..." His eyes met Koshino's and the latter immediately turned as pale as he was.  
  
"You're not saying that..." He supplied, aghast. "Oh no." His eyes lighted on the boy's peacefully sleeping features.  
  
"Oi, will the both of you cut out the 'Oh no' crap and enlighten the rest of us?" Mitsui glowered, his eyes narrowing expectantly. "You're both making me nervous."  
  
"That makes two of us." Kogure said quietly, beaker still in hand.  
  
"Seconded!" Hikoichi piped up.  
  
"You're the third." Jin couldn't help but mutter.  
  
"Oh, right." The young assistant manager and bench player retracted thoughtfully. "Thirded then!"  
  
"Is there such a word?" Jin sweatdropped.  
  
"Akira's not always easy to get along with." Maki revealed, his face showing a bit of terrifying nostalgia. "He's -"  
  
"Difficult." Koshino finished for him, obviously in the same state as Maki. "He's the... how should I say this... uh... neighborhood terror."  
  
Everyone gaped at them, all except Rukawa who was staring dejectedly out the laboratory's skylight windows peeking a few meters up from ground level.  
  
"Neighborhood terror? Like Shuuichi?" Ayako whispered in disbelief.  
  
"Who's Shuuichi?" Sakuragi asked, raising a perplexed brow.  
  
"Her youngest brother... the bratty little gangster." Maki muttered darkly. "The one who almost set their garden on fire..."  
  
Ayako blushed in embarrassment.  
  
Koshino nodded. "Like him and, sad to say, a bit more."  
  
"So... the brat is a terror, huh?" Sakuragi said, peering at the sleeping face.  
  
"Yes." Koshino repeated.  
  
"Why did you say that?" Ayako asked, still denying what was being said.  
  
Her boyfriend looked at her, his eyes deadly serious. "Remember the crumpled bike in our garage back in Kanagawa?"  
  
Ayako nodded, her curls bouncing as she did.  
  
"He was the one who destroyed it."  
  
  
  
END FLASHBACK: HANAGATA  
  
  
  
Rukawa's mind, on the other hand, was settling in another burst of memory.  
  
  
  
FLASHBACK: RUKAWA  
  
"Come on, don't be like that." Rukawa murmured exasperatedly at the boy who rebelled against being put into sleep. He silently cursed himself for making this 'do'ahoutic' mistake.  
  
He had just proven that he wasn't a Tensai after all. Maybe the do'ahou's stupidity had finally gotten to him. He sighed, giving Sendoh a stern glare.  
  
The boy did not even flinch. He gave him a mean stare right back. Rukawa was the first to divert his stare somewhere else, sighing. He pulled the edge of the blanket up to the boy's chin and touched a gentle hand on the fragile-looking forehead. "Sleep." He whispered tiredly. "Sweet dreams."  
  
"Like hell I will!" The boy countered, sticking his tongue out and shifting his body so that he was facing the other side of the wall. "Go away."  
  
Rukawa had no choice but to do so. Yes, it did hurt to be rejected - it brought out painful memories. Casting a parting glance, he opened the door and slipped wordlessly out.  
  
He wanted to try and appease the boy the next morning. Carrying a tray filled almost to the brim with food, he made his way towards the room where he let the boy sleep in last night. Humming slightly to prevent a breakdown he felt was definitely coming to plague him. However, the minute he stepped inside, he was stunned to immobility as he took in the contents of his room.  
  
Everything was in complete chaos. Papers were literally thrown everywhere and books were vandalized. The walls that he so lovingly painted to a clean shade of pale blue now resembled a doodled notebook page.  
  
No Sendoh Akira.  
  
He dropped the tray in befuddlement and nearly screamed in horror as his azure gaze encountered his most prized possession sitting forlornly at the other end of the room. It was his beautiful basketball, signed by all his playing team both in junior and senior high. The ball was now deflated, and sporting random scribblings made by a permanent black marker... dead to the world.  
  
  
  
END FLASHBACK: RUKAWA  
  
  
  
Rukawa couldn't fathom why the boy acted the way he did. Of course, there had been a lot of times wherein he himself rebelled against authority in his younger years, effectively frustrating his grandmother in the process, but this, this was bordering on the ridiculous!  
  
He sighed wearily, gripping Fujima's comforting arms.  
  
"I'm going to kill him." He declared, albeit half-heartedly.  
  
Fujima's frail-looking frame shook with renewed laughter over the situation. "Oh come on now, Kae-chan. You know you can't even lay a hand on him!"  
  
"I already did." Came the astute reply.  
  
"Okay, let me rephrase that." Blue eyes twinkled in amusement. "You know you can't even lay a /reprimanding/ hand on him - again."  
  
"Kenji-niichan... I was trying to comfort myself... you just squished my hopes of disciplining him down."  
  
Fujima sweatdropped. "Ah, ehehe, gomen ne, Kae-chan..."  
  
"Kaede, listen to me." Hanagata spoke up suddenly.  
  
The almost stern tone underneath the gentle words made the boy straighten up and look at him fully.  
  
"Support him."  
  
"Eh?" Now Rukawa was confused. "Support him in what? Slashing basketballs?"  
  
Fujima swatted him on the back of his head in a chastising manner.  
  
"Itai..." He moaned, rubbing the affected area with the heel of his hand.  
  
"No, I meant support him emotionally." Hanagata's wise eyes bored into his. "He's obviously an angry kid..."  
  
"I know." Rukawa muttered darkly. "I got firsthand experience of that anger." The comment earned him another swat, this time, on his shoulder. "Ow, Kenji-niichan, stop doing that!"  
  
"I will if you stop interrupting him!"  
  
"Ah, gomen."  
  
Hanagata smiled slightly at the sight of the two most important people in his life. "Sendoh's an angry kid... it would be best to discover why, and then bring him back to being the Sendoh we all know and love."  
  
Rukawa's eyes misted over at the mention of the word "love". Shaking himself after a few seconds, he gave up all propriety and like a little kid himself, launched into Hanagata's strong embrace. "I will, Toru-niichan!" HE murmured gratefully.  
  
Gazing lovingly at the two of them, Fujima had never been so proud.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
"I don't understand Hisashi-kun."  
  
Mitsui looked up from where he was seated comfortably on Kogure's bed. "What do you not understand Kimi-chan?"  
  
Kogure shifted his gaze from the beaker he was boring holes into with his eyes. Brown orbs stared at him in defeat. "I don't understand why the potion did not change him back..."  
  
The sad tone in his lover's voice spurred him into action. He quickly got up and led Kogure towards the bed. Plopping both of them down, Mitsui pulled the smaller man into his embrace and whispered comforting words in his ear.  
  
It took only three counts under the former gangster's breath for his lover to finally burst into tears like he knew he would the moment the other boy spoke. He hated seeing him cry. He had sworn back in senior high that he was never going to make him cry, and would never let anyone prod him to burst into tears. However, he could not prevent this one.  
  
He had always been the source of strength for Kogure, and he knew it. He had tried his best to remain dependable and efficient enough to prevent him from crying and feeling so helpless.  
  
This time, in a difficult circumstance, he had failed in his sworn privilege (he did not consider making Kogure happy and contented as a duty... it was a privilege - always a privilege).  
  
For the first time in many years, as he felt Kogure hold on to him for dear life, he felt so utterly powerless.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Koshino was close to being the paranoid that he was when he was eight.  
  
His mind was in complete turmoil, and he couldn't prevent the dread flowing through his blood vessels.  
  
/What now? / He thought, as his mind conjured up the image of Sendoh as a little boy. /Almost ruined his life, if not for his late brother.../ he sighed.  
  
/What now? /  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Jin had found Sendoh picking a fight with a street urchin. He immediately dragged the boy, literally kicking and screaming, back at Rukawa's condominium. He had sported bruises from where the brat punched him, and he knew that a huge part of the skin on his left shin was turning into an amazing shade of dark purple.  
  
His only concession from knocking him senseless was seeing Rukawa's tired eyes light up as he saw the boy standing in front of the intricately designed doors.  
  
Apparently, the boy snuck out that morning from the flat, picking the lock as he did, and decided to play hooky (not the sexual kind, of course), getting his clothes all muddy and his face scratched.  
  
It was clear that the boy despised being in Rukawa's place, and he showed it through his actions as he screamed at him to break his hold and yell at Rukawa for being such an old man, throwing a mean punch at the other boy in the process.  
  
Rukawa, surprisingly, did not say anything. His eyes glazed for a few moments in pain as a hand connected with his ribs and took the boy from him. Jin was sure that the younger boy was about to cry, and was doing his best in preventing the tears from falling. He did not want to break down in front of him and Sendoh.  
  
Jin then nodded his head and gave a vague wave before he turned and headed towards the elevators. He heard a couple of screeches before the door closed, effectively muffling the loud sounds inside.  
  
He closed his eyes for a few seconds and sighed as he opened them, staring at the light from the elevator's numbers.  
  
/This Sendoh sure is difficult/  
  
/I hope he's strong enough to endure it. /  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
TBC  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
A/N: Finally updated! I'm ALIVE! (though it doesn't seem so for the past weeks, ne? ^___~) Hope you enjoyed reading this one! ^^ Till the next chapter! ^______^  
  
----------------------- [1] Is this really possible? Uh. Erm. ^^;;; 


	3. Side Story 1: Of Bonds and Brothers

Author:** Simply Kim**

E-Mail:** cheng1812@yahoo.com**

Title:** Little Akira... The Tokyo Terrorist!**

Genre/ratings:** (Shounen-ai /Yaoi) (Humor / (a bit of) Angst)**

Length:** (Still undecided) Side Story 1 (Set between part 1 and 2)**

Disclaimers:** The series I'm referring to obviously do not belong to me, only the story does.**

* * * * * * * *

**Side Story 1: Of Bonds and Brothers**

****

* * * * * * * *

**"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"**

Fujima was the first to let out an agonized wail as soon as the smoke cleared.

Everyone just stared stupidly, blinking multiple times as the object of their experiment remained unconscious...

And still an eight year old.

            He saw Kogure eyeing the beaker he held in his hand, trying to think of what went wrong with the potion. His bespectacled sempai turned once more to fix his thoughtful eyes at the figure of the boy he had knocked out a while ago with what he knew, even if he did not use too much of his true force, was a painful blow. He winced inwardly, muttering a soft apology, training his eyes at the sleeping figure. He sighed and, once again, turned to watch the outside world through the basement window. He could only see the pavement where shoed feet hustle to and fro on haste, but he found a sense of calm in doing so. The rhythm and regularity were acting like drugs to get his mind off the huge problem. 

He closed his eyes as a deep ache started to make tunnel through his gut. 

He was the one to blame for all of these...

If only he wasn't such an idiot!

He heard Kogure sigh. "I don't believe this."

Hanagata nodded in assent. "Me either."

Mitsui stared harder, trying to digest the glaring truth. The kid wasn't going to be the annoying porcupine soon. "Tell me about it."

Then, he tuned them out. In the deep chambers of Rukawa's mind, he somehow knew that everything was just a replay of what had happened that before... the only difference was that he was the one who turned into a kid, and Sendoh Akira was the one who did it to him.

Of course he resented the fact that he was powerless to stop such feat, however, he felt glad somehow, because he had the chance to be young again... to feel happiness over simple things... to feel how it was to be loved by people who you never knew cared a shitload for you. He had never felt so much warmth before... and he never knew he would feel so much care from Sendoh himself.

He felt so much from him... and his inner self had managed to warm up quickly to the careful touch.

He remembered the time when he craved for Sendoh's presence last year. Even when he was a kid, he felt the craving. Why? 

He did not know.

It was snowing then, and he was so restless and worried that he, in his young form, stole out from Koshino and Jin's shared apartment, heading towards the place, which he knew Sendoh's house would be. It took him a long time before he finally saw the familiar house marker. He did not bring a coat with him, and by that time, he was shivering from the cold.

He wanted to make to the front door, his mind conjuring up images of Sendoh welcoming him with open arms... with them sitting in front of the stone fireplace (which he much doubted the older man had) and drinking hot chocolate... of Sendoh's hands patting his head in a loving gesture... Love... a love he imagined would be the same with the basketball team's resident lovebirds... Hanagata and Fujima. Somehow he hoped all his visions would come true that night... He hoped that he would really see Sendoh again... he was hoping...

But he remembered that he did not make it. All he remembered was the freezing cold penetrating his body, and his legs giving way, making him slump onto the blanket of cottony snow... before everything went black. When he opened his eyes, he saw the familiar features of his Fujima-niichan. The older boy was sleeping with his back curved tiredly, leaning heavily on a plush armchair. He felt warmth then... somewhere under the pale blue thermal blanket covering his body. Carefully folding back the cloth, his eyes misted as he encountered a sight he had never seen before in his own life... 

Fujima was holding his hand tightly... as if the other believed he'd slip away in sleep. He remembered looking up; settling his amazed gaze at the youthful features whose brow was knitted in a worried frown. He bit his lip then, wondering how many hours and heaps of worry he had given this man... and the other as well... 

Hanagata was also asleep, his hand clutching a hot water pack, the contents probably cold by then, sitting on the other side of the bed. He wasn't holding his hand, but was instead clutching at one end of his blanket. He felt tears fall freely down his pale cheeks. He couldn't take the sights anymore, and what he did was to throw himself at the closest human being he could take a hold on.

He tackled Fujima, crying all the way. 

He felt the jolt of surprise that came with the unexpected attack, and then the jolt subsided, warm arms wrapping around him with so much love that he felt so... secure...

**_FLASHBACK_**

_            "Kae-chan, are you alright?" _

_            Rukawa did not say anything. He just burrowed deeper into the warm embrace. _

_            "Are you still cold? Do you want anything? I made soup downstairs... do you want another warm pack? How are your thermal blankets... are they to your liking? I'm sorry for the pajamas... they're Toru's and Oh God... do they fit? I mean..." Fujima babbled on and on, stroking his hair repeatedly – almost desperately. In a level, the pull hurt, but Rukawa did not pay any heed. He was safe... he was secure... he was... loved._

_            **"Enough." **_

_            Fujima instantly stopped, the fingers stroking the boy's head and he stared in surprise at the person across him. "Ah... Toru-chan, you're awake!"_

_            There were thuds of heavy footsteps. A huge shadow cast itself upon both him and the boy. Rukawa looked up, his body tense as he waited for what would happen. The look on Hanagata's face was enough to make him think that the older man was actually going to hit him. The gruff tone that voiced out frustrations was no less threatening too._

****

**_            "What in heaven's name have you been thinking!"_**_ Hanagata grated out angrily, looming before him. Rukawa cowered in spite of himself. He couldn't deny that he was indeed an idiot – even surpassing the idiocy of the redheaded baka who went by the name Sakuragi Hanamichi. He shuddered inwardly as the verbal assault continued._

_            "How could you even think of stealing away in the middle of the night and worrying the brains out of everyone?" The bespectacled boy covered his face with a large hand. His voice was by then shaking – Rukawa wasn't sure if it was because of anger or of... something else. "What if you got lost? Where would we have looked for you?"_

_            "Toru-chan, please... Kae-chan has had enough... let it go..." Fujima's shaky voice pleaded softly, trying to calm the taller man down. However, as Rukawa stared at him with fearful and apologetic eyes, whatever it was Hanagata was feeling overcame him. _

_            He cried._

_            **Hanagata Toru, top student, basketball star, and all-around nice guy... was crying.**_

_            He slumped bonelessly on the now-vacant bed, his head buried in his hands, his hair tousled beyond propriety, his body wracked with desperate sobs._

_            Rukawa did not know what to do..._

_            He wondered silently if an apology would be enough to get his **'niichan'** to calm down. He wondered if this man would trust him again. He felt strangely empty at the thought. No, he must do all he could for these two and the others who had been worrying about him to take to him again. He needed them... each and every one of them... and he..._

_            After all these times... _

_            He somehow admitted to himself that he loved them._

_            He carefully disentangled himself from Fujima's hands and hopped down, feeling the furry carpet tickle the soles of his feet. He padded soundlessly towards the older man and climbed on the bed. He reached out and grasped the other's arm and attached himself to the strong form._

_            "Toru-niichan...?" He beseeched quietly, his eyes watering again. "Gomen nasai... I did not mean to do it... demo... I was... I was missing... Akira-niichan... and... And..."_

_            **"Aren't we enough for now?"** The sobbing form he held on to uttered... so lost... **"Don't you care about anyone except for Akira? Why did you do that? Do you think that we wouldn't worry about you?"** Hanagata finally faced him, tearstains on his face. **"Did you somehow feel as if we do not care for you?"** _

_            How could he answer?_

_            Rukawa did not know how to answer._

_            Did he think that?_

_            Or was he just looking for someone with the same kind of warmth Sendoh had?_

_            Or maybe... he was just being selfish._

_            He looked up into the bottomless pools of pain that were Hanagata's eyes at the moment. He felt something twinge inside him, pulling strings from his psyche... and, after a long while, he understood._

_            **He was being selfish.**_

_            "Toru-niichan!" He cried suddenly, the dam holding his concealed emotions finally breaking down, letting the gush sweep him away. "I'm sorry! I will never do it again! I promise! Don't cry anymore... onegai... suki...da... niichan... please..." He sobbed, clutching at the strong arms he was holding on to._

_            He thought he wouldn't be forgiven..._

_            **But he was.**_

_            He knew he was._

_            For Hanagata gathered him into his warm embrace, and Fujima wrapped his arms around both of them._

_            **Safe... **_

_            **So safe...**_

**_END FLASHBACK_**

            A gasp issued out behind him, and he turned in alarm.

Fujima's blue eyes held every emotion possible – however, the most disconcerting was that, the HORROR became the most prominent of them all. From the way Jin stared at Fujima, he knew, he noted this fact, and his mind was now straying to what had happened between the boy and the current vice captain a while ago. 

Rukawa deemed the reaction normal – Sendoh, as a child was insufferable! He hoped the others did not think of him that way when he was still a kid. 

He sighed. 

It's no use thinking about the past...

They're now experiencing a BIG problem.

How do they transform Sendoh back?

* * * * * * * *

            He was alone in the kitchen when his mind strayed back to what Koshino and Maki revealed about Sendoh as a kid. Were they true, or are those two spooking them again like they did many time this past year? He sweatdropped as he remembered the Halloween party they had in Maki's condo unit. **Koshino** came as the **_Grinch_**... and **Maki** came as... **_Frankenstein_**. 

The frightening part was that they looked so real coming from one of the doors, smoke billowing as they came out... 

And yeah... the costumes were so... **_fitting _**too.

He sweatdropped.

Ayako-neechan almost had a panic attack.

That was spooky.

Rukawa shuddered.

Sighing, he diverted his thoughts back to what was announced that afternoon. Stirring the pot of stew he was cooking, he paled.

**_FLASHBACK_**

**"OH NO."**

_Everyone turned their heads towards their second-time captain. _

_"What is it Maki-sempai?" Koshino asked curiously, his hand unconsciously clutching Ayako's clammy digits. _

_"He's turned back to being an eight year old kid." Maki, for the first time was sheet-white[1]. **"This is terrible..."** His eyes met Koshino's and the latter immediately turned as pale as he was._

_"You're not saying that..." He supplied, aghast. **"Oh no."** His eyes lighted on the boy's peacefully sleeping features._

_"Oi, will the both of you cut out the 'Oh no' crap and enlighten the rest of us?" Mitsui glowered, his eyes narrowing expectantly. "You're both making me nervous."_

_"That makes two of us." Kogure said quietly, beaker still in hand. _

_"Seconded!" Hikoichi piped up._

_"You're the third." Jin couldn't help but mutter. _

_"Oh, right." The young assistant manager and bench player retracted thoughtfully. "Thirded then!"_

_"Is there such a word?" Jin sweatdropped._

**_"Akira's not always easy to get along with."_**_ Maki revealed, his face showing a bit of terrifying nostalgia. **"He's –"**_

**_"Difficult."_**_ Koshino finished for him, obviously in the same state as Maki. "He's the... how should I say this... uh... **neighborhood terror**."_

_Everyone gaped at them, all except Rukawa who was staring dejectedly out the laboratory's skylight windows peeking a few meters up from ground level. _

_"**Neighborhood terror**? Like Shuuichi?" Ayako whispered in disbelief._

_"Who's Shuuichi?" Sakuragi asked, raising a perplexed brow._

_"Her youngest brother... the bratty little gangster." Maki muttered darkly. "The one who almost set their garden on fire..."_

_Ayako blushed in embarrassment. _

_Koshino nodded. "Like him and, sad to say, a bit more."_

_"So... the brat is a terror, huh?" Sakuragi said, peering at the sleeping face.  _

_"Yes." Koshino repeated. _

_"Why did you say that?" Ayako asked, still denying what was being said. _

_Her boyfriend looked at her, his eyes deadly serious. **"Remember the crumpled bike in our garage back in Kanagawa?"**_

Ayako nodded, her curls bouncing as she did. 

**_"He was the one who destroyed it."_**

**_END FLASHBACK_**

He remembered Fujima looking at him then, his eyes clouded with a touch of indecision.

            If Sendoh were a neighborhood terror... then what would happen to all of them? He shook his head. Well, he would learn if it WERE the truth... he'd wait until Sendoh wakes up. 

            Maybe the boy was just feeling cranky after what the gang put him through during basketball practice... Not to mention he knocked him down pretty hard. He sweatdropped. He surely hoped he's not like that all the time...

**_FLASHBACK_**

            _"Come on, don't be like that." Rukawa murmured exasperatedly at the boy who rebelled against being put into sleep. He silently cursed himself for making this 'do'ahoutic' mistake._

_            He had just proven that he wasn't a Tensai after all. Maybe the do'ahou's stupidity had finally gotten to him. He sighed, giving Sendoh a stern glare._

_            The boy did not even flinch. He gave him a mean stare right back. Rukawa was the first to divert his stare somewhere else, sighing. He pulled the edge of the blanket up to the boy's chin and touched a gentle hand on the fragile-looking forehead. "Sleep." He whispered tiredly. "Sweet dreams."_

_            "Like hell I will!" The boy countered, sticking his tongue out and shifting his body so that he was facing the other side of the wall. "Go away."_

_            Rukawa had no choice but to do so. Yes, it did hurt to be rejected – it brought out painful memories. Casting a parting glance, he opened the door and slipped wordlessly out._

**_END FLASHBACK _**

            He turned off the heat and carried the pot away from the stove. Stew's ready! His tummy was aching, and he could sure use Hanagata's baked macaroni right now...

**_FLASHBACK_**

_            **"Oi, Kae – erm... Rukawa-kun!"**_

_            He turned around as he saw Fujima waving frantically at him. The corners of his mouth turned up, a feeling of excitement ran through his veins as he saw the boy jumping up and down amidst the tall crown. _

_            Fujima could be such a little kid sometimes._

_            He slowly turned around and waited until the former Shoyo captain reached his side._

_            "Ah! Rukawa-kun! I finally caught you!" He grinned happily. That particular grin made Rukawa think hentai thoughts... after all; it was his and Hanagata's anniversary yesterday. He shook the thoughts away as he felt a rare occurrence of a nosebleed. _

_            "Ah... Fujima-nii... uh... Fujima-sempai..." He murmured quietly in greeting. "Why were you looking for me?"_

_            **"Toru-chan and I would like to have you for dinner!" **The youthful face beamed at him._

            Rukawa did not get it. His eyes widened as he thought of himself covered with gravy and burnt to a crisp. He took a step back, and would not have stopped if he did not see the hurt in the other's deep blue eyes. Maybe he was thinking of the statement wrong... 

_            "Uh... if you don't want to... we understand..." Fujima's grin faltered, his shoed feet scuffing the dirt on the pavement._

_            "Uh... actually I would want to spend time with the two of you... **but...** if you're going to **eat me**..." Rukawa murmured almost fearfully. "Uh, I'll take a rain check... **just eat another for dinner**..."_

_            Blue eyes stared incredulously at him, and Rukawa wondered if he indeed made a wrong impression on Fujima's invitation. He was still contemplating on what was wrong when he heard a hysterical burst of laughter. He sweatdropped as he saw the smaller boy laughing his brains out. _

_            "Uh... Fujima-sempai... are you alright?" He asked worriedly. Maybe this guy turned psycho before he turned into a cannibal... _

_            **"Ru-Rukawa-kun... Bwahahahaha Hahaha!" **_

_            Rukawa took another step back as Fujima looked up at him, laughter dancing in his eyes. "Uh... Sempai...?"_

_            "We're **not going to EAT you for dinner**, baka!" He laughed, clutching his midsection. "**We want to have you OVER for dinner!"**_

_            Rukawa blinked._

_            And blinked again._

_            Slowly, crimson splotches covered his cheeks._

_            Oh._

_            **Oh.**_

_            "Uh... in that case... umm... I would... I would be happy to join you both..." He murmured, obviously abashed. _

_            "Yay!" Fujima cried out as he pumped a fist into the air happily._

_* * *_

_            It was already half past seven when the three of them sat around the dining table. _

_            Rukawa was trying hard not to blush as Fujima recounted what had happened that morning. He had never been so embarrassed in his whole life! His cheeks heated up as Hanagata waggled his eyebrows at him when he met his gaze, amusement in the former's eyes. _

_            "Here!" Fujima grinned happily, spooning a block of baked macaroni on his empty plate. "Eat up!"_

_            Rukawa nodded dutifully, and dug in. I stared at the food in amazement as I got my first forkful. _

_            "Oishi..." I whispered, eating another forkful. It was so delicious! Probably the best I've ever tasted in my entire life! The family chef's cooking could not even compare to what he was eating!_

_            "Toru-chan made that!" Fujima announced proudly, and Rukawa looked up in amazement, his eyes glassy as he caught Hanagata's slight blush of embarrassment. "Oishi, ne?"_

_            Rukawa nodded, eating another forkful as if to testify to his claim._

_            They ate in companionable silence after that. And then..._

_            "Kae-chan." _

_            Rukawa looked up involuntarily, his eyes seeking out Hanagata. "Toru-niichan?" _

_            When he saw the knowing look in those wise dark eyes, he paled._

_            "I knew it." Hanagata said simply. "I knew you're not such a normal kid that time." _

_            "Gomen..." Rukawa mumbled. _

_            "No need to be sorry about that." Hanagata smiled warmly. "I just want to ask a few questions..."_

_            Rukawa nodded his assent. _

_            "When did you realize that you're not Kae-chan and you're not Rukawa?"_

_            "I... I woke up as a kid when... when Fujima-sempai was playing with me... you know, when Sendoh was being pummeled by Ayako-san..." He started. "And then... Everything faded into nothingness. I did not know why, but it did. I could feel myself move, but I was being sucked into avoid...and my... other child-like self was emerging."_

_            Rukawa saw Fujima nod, the fork inserted in his mouth bobbing lightly. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I saw everything... but I couldn't do anything about it. Then I was somehow pushed out into the living world when I had the desire to go see..."_

_            "When you went out to see Akira." Hanagata finished for him, looking all-thoughtful. "I knew it." He nodded once and turned back to him with a small smile. "Go on." _

_            Rukawa too another deep breath and continued. "Then, I woke up and saw you both... then I felt... safe... and then... I was pushed inside again... I saw myself struggle when I was about to be brought back to normal... and then... and then the next thing I knew, I was pushed out completely and was in my own grown up body... I was myself once again..."_

_            He shook his head, shivering slightly as he remembered the feeling of emptiness when he woke up._

_            He stood up shakily and stared back at Hanagata, his eyes clouded. "I'm sorry for not saying it sooner... but... I... I couldn't stay away, and I... I couldn't help feeling lonely though..."_

_            "That's why you tried getting close to us again – as your true grown up self." Fujima grinned, his eyes misting in happiness. He stood up in his chair and tackled him, smothering his face with kisses. "**Ah! Toru-chan! We have our little Kae-chan back!**" he cried out in glee._

            Rukawa was stunned, tears finally flowing free from the confines of his eyes. His arms clasped around the smaller frame. He stiffened somewhat when he heard a chuckle, and relaxed fully as another pair of arms held both him and Fujima close.

_            He felt Hanagata smile through his unruly hair. "**One condition before we finally accept you**." He said, his words muffled by Rukawa's raven strands._

_            "What is it?" he asked softly._

_            **"Call us niichan again whenever we're alone."**_

_            The condition seemed absurd, but for Rukawa, it was everything. He had a family again... a family that he had not been a part of for a long time..._

            He closed his eyes.

_            "Hai... **Toru-niichan**."_

**_END FLASHBACK_**

            Rukawa shook his head in memory as he spooned stew on a glass bowl.

            He's so lucky.

            **_Maybe he'd be luckier if Sendoh would return back to normal_**_._ He mused as he placed heaps of food on a serving tray. He thought he heard a commotion somewhere in the house, but ignored it when it passed. Damned cats...

            **_Or if he really isn't such a terror as they branded him to be now that he's a kid again._**

            He grinned softly. 

            Maybe he could try and appease the boy this morning after... He really thought that Sendoh's just cranky last night. 

Carrying a tray filled almost to the brim with food, he made his way towards the room where he let the boy sleep in last night, humming slightly to prevent a breakdown he felt was definitely coming to plague him. He was a bit excited to see the kawaii kiddie again. 

However, the minute he stepped inside, he was stunned to immobility as he took in the contents of his room.

            Everything was in complete chaos. Papers were literally thrown everywhere and books were vandalized. The walls that he so lovingly painted to a clean shade of pale blue now resembled a doodled notebook page. 

            He looked around, searching...

            **No Sendoh Akira.**

            He dropped the tray in befuddlement and nearly screamed in horror as his azure gaze encountered his most prized possession sitting forlornly at the other end of the room. 

            **_Kami-sama..._**

It was his beautiful basketball, signed by all his playing teammates both in junior and senior high. 

The ball was now deflated, and sporting random scribblings made by a permanent black marker... 

Dead to the world.

* * * * * * * *

TBC

* * * * * * * *

A/N: I'm ALIVE! (Though it doesn't seem so for the past month, ne? ^___~) Hope you enjoyed reading this one! ^^ Till the next chapter! ^______^

  


* * *

[1] Is this really possible? Uh… Erm… ^^;;;


	4. Part 3: When the Walls Come Tumbling Dow...

Author:** Simply Kim**

Title:** Little Akira... The Tokyo Terrorist!**

Genre/ratings:** (Shounen-ai /Yaoi) (Humour / (a bit of) Angst)**

Length:** 3/5**

Disclaimers:** The series I'm referring to obviously do not belong to me, only this story does.**

* * * * * * * *

**Part 3: When the Walls Come Tumbling Down**

****

* * * * * * * *

            "Come on, Akira... please..."

            "No."

            "Please, just a little?"

            No answer except for a sticking out of a rebellious tongue. 

            Rukawa sighed and leaned tiredly on the back of his chair. _This is not working out as well as I hoped it should be..._ He thought dejectedly. _I always thought that taking care of kids don't usually drain a person out... obviously, I was wrong._ He gazed thoughtfully at the scowling features of a chibified Sendoh Akira. _VERY wrong indeed... _Sighing for the umpteenth time, he straightened up and held up another forkful of vegetables before the boy's face. "Akira... listen to me..."

            It must have been the desperation in Rukawa's voice that compelled Sendoh to stare at him, strangely, in full attention. "What?" He snarled, obviously crossed. 

            _There's no other way..._ Rukawa thought determinedly. _If I get him to eat anything other than potato chips, then the money I would soon spend would definitely be worth it..._

            "I'll have a deal with you." He said in a surprisingly clear voice. "If you eat everything on your plate during mealtimes, I'll buy you the red scooter you've been eyeing for a while now..."

            The declaration made the boy's eyes widen that they resembled porcelain saucers. "Honto?" Came the amazed response. 

            There was satisfaction in Rukawa's eyes as he gazed at the child trying to struggle to come up with his decision. He knew it was a big deal to Sendoh, since the kid seemed to like the contraption (judging from the way his eyes danced when he saw the shiny metallic finish of the miniature scooter in one of the popular stores in the mall the other day...).

            "Yes."

* * *

            As predicted, Sendoh wolfed down the whole plate of food with much gusto. His smirk was somewhat excited, and his eyes were glittering with pure bliss. 

            Rukawa wished he had a camera on hand right then... The kid looked so cute!

            With a minute smile, he collected the utensils used and began moving towards the kitchen sink. With a lighthearted sigh, he opened the faucet, his eyes absently watching the flow of tap water that gushed from the metal mouth. He never felt more relieved... and more elated.

            The boy would finally be bearable from now on... he had the ultimate bribe!

            Finally!

            With a low hum, he shook out the excess moisture from the soggy sponge he had just wrung, and began soaping the dinner plates.

            Everything was definitely looking up.

* * *

            Or maybe he was just being too positive about everything.

            Sendoh was still the stubborn little brat he had been before – just a scooter richer. 

            Rukawa sighed as he shook his head, trying to pull out his patience from his soul, feeling the depletion burn a hole in him. If this continues, he knew he would just die from soul-depletion... or maybe not, he was sure no one ever died from that... he wasn't sure it existed in the first place. 

            His eyes followed the ecstatic figure of the eight-year-old boy showing off the scooter to everyone in the playground. He's almost never home and Rukawa was constantly worrying his head when the boy hasn't shown up on his doorstep in time for seven o'clock dinner. Because of that, he spanked his bottom without much force, and Sendoh, soon after seemed to be going out of his way just to irritate him all the more. 

He tried everything short of threatening in order for the boy to be more considerate. He was losing sleep, intent on keeping a watchful eye just in case Sendoh would slip out again in the middle of the night. He was losing track of his homework, always handing out delayed papers, and he was seriously lacking nutrition because his allowance was vastly diminished from the petty expenses following the purchase of the red scooter last week. 

He had collapsed again in the courts yesterday, and Maki and Fujima... and practically everyone else in the team reprimanded him, making him sit out the next game against Kainandai University. 

His only consolation was seeing the saru Kiyota raising hell when he was matched up with Sakuragi instead. 

He smiled in mirth. _That sure was funny_. He conceded, eyes never leaving the playing bundle of energy. _Sendoh would make fun of him in court if he were playing... _His eyes dulled, an overwhelming sense of loss reflected in them. _I look like someone dumped by a girl._ He thought, as he felt the curious gaze of almost every passer-by. But he didn't care. _I can pine all I want – no one's gonna stop me... and I won't let anyone stop me..._

THWACK!

He landed with a dull thud on the hard concrete ground of the public park, swirly-eyed with a painful-looking mark on his pale forehead. 

"Ite..." He moaned helplessly, too shocked and tired to get up immediately.

"Oh! I'm sorry oniisan! Are you alright?" Came the panicked cry of a young boy. "Ayeka! He's hurt! I told you not to pass the ball too high!"

"Gomen nasai! I didn't mean to... oi, oniisan, are you alright?" A young girl sobbed, shaking him as hard as she could. "I didn't mean to hit you! Honest!"

"Oi! Kitsune! What the hell are you lying down for? It's too early to count stars! The sun hasn't set yet!" 

Rukawa groaned as the distinct voice of Sakuragi Hanamichi penetrated his senses, painfully increasing the pace of the throbbing in his head. "Do'ahou... stop... yelling..." He retorted without heat. "My head... Ite... Why does this always... happen to me... of all... people...?"

A pair of strong arms hauled him to a sitting position, calloused fingers threading through his hair and pressing once in awhile, searching for bumps or cuts from the impact of his fall. 

"Mister, is he alright?" Asked the girl almost falteringly, obviously afraid. Rukawa wanted to laugh. If only Sendoh would be just as caring as she was, then he could probably die then and there with much happiness. But he knew it wasn't happening anytime soon... and probably never will be happening at all.

"Ah, he's fine ojo-chan." Sakuragi assured with relief creeping in his tone. "He's just knocked out for a bit. He'll be better after a helping of ice cream!"

Rukawa opened his eyes and focused on the redheaded idiot smiling reassuringly at the girl continuing to sob in apology. Her eyes were swimming with tears as she looked up at him. "Oniisan... gomen ne... I was..."

Wincing slightly, He extended a hand and laid it gently on her head, ruffling her already dishevelled chocolate hair. "I'm fine... like this idiot said, nothing a dose of ice cream can't fix."

Her face brightened then, eyes twinkling with relief as she was joined by, obviously, her older brother. The boy was carrying three ice cream cones, offering one to his sister, one to Sakuragi, and one... to him.

Frankly, Rukawa was taken aback at the boy's actions. How come this boy, practically a stranger can give him a treat to make him feel better, and Sendoh, in his younger form couldn't? Smiling softly, he accepted the offered sweet and took a huge bite to show his appreciation.

The boy grinned happily, nudging his sister as she licked hers with much gusto. Sheepishly, she bowed low, apologising again before both of them waved goodbye. He could see their mother opening her arms to them in the distance. And as they flew into the waiting effeminate arms, Rukawa wondered if Sendoh would do the same if he opened his arms to him...

"Kaede, you're thinking about Sendoh again." 

Rukawa blinked almost stupidly, realising that Sakuragi was still lounging near him, watching the play of emotions of his face. He rubbed his aching forehead. "Y-yeah..." He murmured, giving the fast melting treat in his hands a lick. "I guess..."

"You don't have to guess... you ARE thinking about him. I can see it plainly on your face." Sakuragi sat down next to him, wolfing down his own ice cream. "You miss him, don't you?"

He was impressed by the perception of his best friend. It was no surprise to him that he was the first person to figure him out back in their high school days. He turned to him, taking a bite of the chocolate treat, before giving his reply. 

"Yeah... I was thinking about him."

"Was?"

"Is." Rukawa amended with a forlorn sigh. Sullenly, he looked away, staring back at the young Sendoh Akira who hadn't given him even a small glance... even when he was knocked down by a speeding rubber ball. It made his heart ache that the boy clearly didn't care much about him, but he knew he had to bear with it until he was back to normal again. Maybe then he would care...

Or not.

"The brat's really the polar opposite of Hentai Smiley huh?" Sakuragi mused, shaking his head as Sendoh picked on a braided girl sitting peacefully on the playground swing. "Unbelievable, really. If I hadn't seen that guy terrorising everyone else, I wouldn't have believed what the old man or the Grinch said about him being a fucking headache and all..."

Rukawa had to smile. Sakuragi was too creative with his nicknames. They match the person's personality so much that it was a kind of scary... he had once entertained the thought that he was empathic, but, after the lack of empathy regarding his official break-up with that annoying Gori-imouto, he proved he wasn't.

The guy sucked at those things.

"You like him, don't you? I mean, the older one, the older Smiley." 

Rukawa turned to him almost immediately. "EH?" He intoned in surprise. _What brought that on?_

"I..." He did not know what to say. "I... I..."

Unexpectedly, the redhead smiled at him, as reassuring as the smile that he had given to the young girl just a while ago... and maybe more. It was comforting, and almost warm as a soothing arm was draped easily on his shoulders. It was the closest to a hug Sakuragi could give, knowing that he was not such a showy person. He couldn't help but lean lightly, thankful for the given support, as he finished the last of the ice cream cone.

"You cannot ever hide from me, Rukawa Kaede." Sakuragi admonished, knocking on his head a couple of times with his free hand, earning him a playful wallop on the back of his head from Rukawa. "Ite..."

"You started it..." He defended himself with a wry smile. "And... I have nothing to hide from you, you know..."

Sakuragi smirked, shaking his head, clearly not believing his best friend's defence. "Aa... right..."

The sun was slowly setting and the sky was painted a breathtaking shade of orange. He didn't want to go home yet, but he knew if he had to catch up to his studies, he had better do it. Sighing, he stood up and dusted the seat of his jeans. He offered a hand to Sakuragi out of habit, warranting a chuckle from the redhead who easily evaded his hand and got up by himself. 

"You sure are a weird chap." He said, imitating Rukawa's dusting a while ago. "You offer what you have without any regard to how it would affect you."

"I don't understand..." Rukawa started, but Sakuragi silenced him with a raised hand. 

"Like what you did just now." He explained, tucking both hands in the pockets of his baggy shorts. "You offered a hand to a person much able than you are. I mean, you're ready to fall off from exhaustion, and then you got knocked off by a ball thrown by a young girl for heaven's sake, and seemingly in need of proper nutrition... still you extended a helping hand."

Sakuragi gave him a warm grin. "You're really one of a kind Rukawa Kaede... after all, you're my best friend, so you're the best right?" He laughed as Rukawa tried to land a punch on the side of his head for being the egoist again. "Seriously, you are one of a kind... in a good way. When everything works out fine, and you fix your problem with the older version of that impudent brat," He pointed at the bullying child with much distaste. "I just know you'll be the happiest person alive."

Warmed by the kind words, Rukawa smiled, and for once, it reached his azure eyes. "Thank you... Hanamichi... When that happens, you'll be the first to know."

Sakuragi's expression became comical. "BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Of course Kitsune! I should know first! I'm the bestest best friend you have! I'm the TENSAI!" 

Rukawa grinned wryly. _Some things just never change... _   

* * *

            It took a lot of coaxing on Rukawa's part to entice the young boy to go home with him. And, foolishly, another promise was made. He told the boy that if he returned home before dinner, he would give him a box of the treat he loved so much.  

            POCKY.

            Seriously, he shouldn't have offered that to him. His pocket money was seriously depleted, and his monthly pittance would be given to him three weeks from that day. He did not know how he would be able to feed two mouths and buy such stupid kiddie snacks everyday...

            He did not want to borrow from anyone. It was his problem; he should deal with it alone... He did not want to disturb other people's lives just because he couldn't run his own efficiently. 

            Why did this have to happen to him of all people?

            Why him?

            Why not the old woman living across his home? The one with the annoying shaggy mutt?

            He slumped tiredly on his swivel chair, trying to decipher the equations staring back at him from the Economics books on his study table. Honestly, nowadays, he wasn't acting like a future Economist. He couldn't even use his resources efficiently. Maybe... after he actually majored from his course, he would be better at it – If he ever major at all. At the rate he was going, he would finish his pre-requisites the day he turned thirty.

            He knew he couldn't afford to sleep, besides, it was only eight in the evening, but... 

            His brain was not functioning so well... he was so tired...

            And soon, he fell asleep, the fountain pen in he held in his hand dropping on the pale coloured carpet, soiling it with black ink... his weary head dropping down on his open books...

            A suffering expression on his face.

* * *

            Sendoh was about to sneak out of the house when a sudden noise in Rukawa's bedroom alerted him. It sounded as if something fell from a great height, and a sudden panic overtook him. He did not know why he was feeling that way... he wasn't supposed to care for the idiot who took him in. After all, all he wanted were the freebies the guy seemed to like giving him. It cost him only a few undesirable actions, and then _Walla!_ He had a treat in hand!

            After a few moments of internal debate, the unknown feeling he had won out and he slipped quietly into the brightly lit room, wincing as the scribbled walls of pale blue greeted his sight. He shouldn't be surprised; after all, he was the one who had drawn those entire things on the walls with a permanent marker. Slowly, his gaze travelled to the study table beside an opened window. The translucent curtains billowed softly, making the sleeping figure seem unearthly. A sudden pang in his heart surprised him. _What's happening to me?_ He thought, trying to clear his head. Something in him was trying to come out... as if there was another person inside him... But he knew the notion was just plain insane. His feet moved in their own volition, crossing the carpeted floors and stopping just beside his sleeping host. 

            There was a sense of wonder in him as he gazed at the youthful features and something in him reacted, reaching out was his hand... reaching out and gently touching the tired brows. An apology rose from his lips, but, at the last moment, he shook himself of the almost drugged sensation he was enveloped in. He did not utter the words, and instead, he frowned. _What is happening to me? _He asked himself for the second time. _I don't care about this guy! He's nothing to me! I don't even know why I'm with him and not with my family! _He snatched away his hand and quickly turned, running away from the slumbering figure as fast as his feet could carry him... back to the extra room near the kitchen...

            His plan to get out forgotten.

* * *

            "SENSEI! WAIT!"

            Rukawa was breathing hard as he tried to catch up with his Economics professor. He was very thankful that the elder man turned and waited for him near the back entrance of the university.

            His professor eyed him with distaste. "Rukawa-san." He admonished. "You've been absent from my class this morning, and now I see you running around and hollering after me like an uncivilised individual. Your grades have been slipping. Would you please tell me what in heaven's name you're up to?"

            Rukawa hung his head in apology. "I'm sorry Yasuba-sensei... I'm having umm... problems, and I forgot to set the alarm clock this morning so I woke up late and... I..."

            Yasuba-sensei raised a silencing hand. "Stop. I don't need your excuses. You were supposed to hand me your research paper this morning. Where is it?"

            "Uh... that was what I was going to talk to you about, sensei... you see..." Rukawa started, wringing his hands in complete nervousness. "I... could I possibly ask for another deadline? I mean... I..."

            His professor's eyes widened in disbelief. "ANOTHER deadline?" He grated out incredulously. "I moved your deadline TWICE already, and now you're asking for ANOTHER one?"

            "Y-Yes... I..."

            "No."

            Rukawa wanted to cry. "Sensei, please... please.... I need that for additional credit..." He pleaded, trying to get his professor to agree, but seeing the angry features of glaring up at him with much fervour, his heart immediately sank. 

            "Rukawa-san, maybe you should reconsider taking this course. Economics needs a lot of work before anything could be done, and if you insist on having no time for your studies and asking for too many deadlines, then you're not fit to be taking it up... you're not fit to be in this university either. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go home. I have lots of work to do."

            "Sensei... I..." 

            Rukawa wanted to protest, wanted to throw a tantrum until Professor Yasuba agreed to his proposal, but it wasn't happening. He couldn't do anything but stare at the elder man's back and try not to break down in front of the whole student body congregated around him, feeling sorry for him... and he knew, were gossiping about him. 

            With agonising slowness, he trudged away, his feet taking him by habit to his hiding place – his college building's rooftop.

            As soon as his feet touched the concrete floor, the desperate tears he had been holding fell in huge torrents. He trudged away from the door, towards the railing, collapsing against the strong iron bars a couple of metres tall, feeling the strong gusts of wind that froze his cheeks. His lifeless eyes stared at the light blue horizon, the view seemingly a mockery of what he felt inside... or rather, what he did not feel inside.

            He was hollow, he was empty... he was no one... he was nothing.

            _I am no one..._

A sob escaped his constricted throat. 

            _I am nothing._

He wanted to die... he couldn't take it anymore... Why him of all people? Why him?

            _I am nothing._

He lay down on his side, curling into a ball, waiting for nothing, caring for nothing... just lying down...

            **Broken.**

            _I am nothing..._

* * *

            Sendoh felt a slight twinge inside him, but he wasn't sure why he felt it. He only did when something was wrong... but he couldn't figure out what.

            Shrugging, he continued to play, looking for other boys to show off his riding prowess on his scooter.

            It was probably nothing.

* * *

            "Hanagata, have you seen the kitsune?" Sakuragi asked the senior member of the team after taking a long swig from his water bottle. "I didn't see him in Art class. It was his favourite subject and he had never missed a single meeting... until now, that is."

            Hanagata frowned, his heart stumbling a beat. _Something's wrong... _He thought, wiping his brow with one of his unused towels. "I haven't seen him either..." The beat of his heart accelerated. _Something's definitely wrong..._ He quickly turned to the other members of the team. "Did any of you see Rukawa-kun today?" he called out.

            Twelve people shook their heads... and then one nodded as an afterthought. 

            Misuzawa Ichiro.

            "Ichiro-kun?" Sakuragi asked eagerly, trying hard not to panic. "Where did you see him?"

            "At the back entrance of the university. He had a run-in with his professor I think, and he was let down pretty bad if his defeated expression was any indication..." Ichiro started. "And then he went away to the direction of the Business and Economics building..."

            Exchanging a knowing look, the two titans of the basketball team deliberately left practice and went out to look for Rukawa, followed closely by Fujima who was also worrying about the younger boy. 

            _Kae-chan, don't do anything stupid. _Hanagata thought as he ran full speed, dodging students on his way. _Don't you dare do something stupid!_

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: Would you believe I updated?! Gyehehehe... I'll finish this fic, don't worry too much! ^___^ I hope you'll continue to support this fic! Reviews everyone! ^___^ 


	5. Side Story 2: Broken

Author:** Simply Kim**

Title:** Little Akira... The Tokyo Terrorist!**

Genre/ratings:** (Shounen-ai /Yaoi) (Humour / (a bit of) Angst)**

Length:** (3.5/5) Side Story 2**

Disclaimers:** The series I'm referring to obviously do not belong to me, only this story does.**

* * * * * * * *

**Side Story 2: Broken**

****

* * * * * * * *

            "SENSEI! WAIT!"

            I have no idea why I'm breathing hard as I try to catch up with my Economics professor. I mean, I practice all the time – except for some days where I'm too out of shape to actually dribble three hundred times... maybe my current lifestyle isn't doing me good. I was eternally thankful that the old department head stopped and turned around, waiting for me to approach him. I've never seen anyone with so much distaste intertwined with a frighteningly intense gaze. 

"Rukawa-san." I gulped at the admonishing tone. "You've been absent from my class this morning, and now I see you running around and hollering after me like an uncivilised individual. Your grades have been slipping. Would you please tell me what in heaven's name you're up to?"

If the situation is different, I might be having a fine time mentally laughing at how snotty this person could be, but unfortunately, I know the tone meant business... it seems he despises me because of something I don't have any idea what... 

            Unable to do anything, I hung my head in hopes of appeasing his anger. "I'm sorry Yasuba-sensei... I'm having umm... problems, and I forgot to set the alarm clock this morning so I woke up late and... I..."

            Yasuba-sensei raised a silencing hand. "Stop. I don't need your excuses. You were supposed to hand me your research paper this morning. Where is it?" I felt my stomach turn as I gazed at gnarly outstretched hands, expecting me to hand something...

            Taking a deep breath, I schooled my face to be as apologetic and beseeching as I felt. "Uh... that was what I was going to talk to you about, sensei... you see..." I started, wringing my hands in complete nervousness. "I... could I possibly ask for another deadline? I mean... I..."

            My professor's eyes widened in obvious disbelief. "ANOTHER deadline?" He grated out incredulously. "I moved your deadline TWICE already, and now you're asking for ANOTHER one?"

            **_Ouch._**

            "Y-Yes... I..."

            "No."

            I wanted to cry. "Sensei, please... please.... I need that for additional credit..." I pleaded, trying to get him to agree, but seeing the angry features of glaring up at me with much fervour, my heart immediately sank. 

            "Rukawa-san, maybe you should reconsider taking this course. Economics needs a lot of work before anything could be done, and if you insist on having no time for your studies and asking for too many deadlines, then you're not fit to be taking it up... you're not fit to be in this university either. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go home. I have lots of work to do."

            "Sensei... I..." 

            I wanted to protest, I wanted to throw a tantrum until Professor Yasuba agreed to my proposal, but it wasn't happening. I couldn't do anything but stare at the my professor's back and try not to break down in front of the whole student body congregated around me, feeling sorry for me... and I knew, were gossiping about me. 

            With agonising slowness, I trudged away, my feet taking me by habit to my hiding place – my college building's rooftop.

            As soon as my feet touched the concrete floor, the desperate tears I had been holding fell in huge torrents. I trudged away from the door, towards the railing, collapsing against the strong iron bars a couple of metres tall, feeling the strong gusts of wind that froze my cheeks. I lifelessly stared at the light blue horizon, the view seemingly a mockery of what I truly felt inside... or rather, what I did not feel inside.

            I am hollow, I am empty... I am no one... I am nothing.

            _I am no one..._

A sob escaped his constricted throat. 

            _I am nothing._

I wanted to die... I couldn't take it anymore... Why me of all people? Why me?

            _I am nothing._

I rolled to my side, curling into a ball, waiting for nothing, caring for nothing... just lying down...

            **Broken.**

            _I am nothing..._

* * *

            _Kaasan... I feel so alone... _

I rubbed my eyes, staring at the green railings where the sky was visible, as azure as ever, mocking me... laughing at me...

            _I know I've never been the best person in the whole world. I have been in the wrong more times than I could count... but why me? Why not some random criminal now sitting in this country's government? I really don't understand..._

Hungry... I could feel my stomach rumbling. I don't have the money to buy anything right now. I can't dig into my trust fund... I can't I must do everything to keep my allowance be enough for a whole month, or lese my uncle will really kill me. 

            He learned about me buying the red scooter... I wonder how he knew about that? He told me I wasn't receiving any reimbursements unless I tell him what I did with the toy. So I told him I gave it to my friend's brother... the next thing I knew I was out the door, his voice still ringing in my ears, calling me all kinds of stupid, saying I wasn't keeping my priorities straight. 

            I was wondering then why he was interfering with my usage of money... it was mine anyway... But then I got to think really deeply and then I realized that he was right. However, given the situation... I **was** prioritizing. I mean, I couldn't let a kid grow up malnourished right? Logic dictated that I should do everything to make the kid eat, so there!

            I sighed, tightening the hold I had around myself. 

            I miss Sendoh... when I'm feeling a bit alone, he would walk up to me and pat my shoulder, telling me...

FLASHBACK

            _"Oi, Rukawa, are you alright?"_

_            "Aa."_

_            "No you're not."_

_            "Baka. I just told you I'm fine. Are you going deaf now?"_

_            "I heard you, I heard you..."_

_            Laughter... and then silence._

_            "Stop thinking about her."_

_            "..."_

_            "I'm serious, don't look at me like I'm an alien or something... although sometimes I do look like one... but that's beside the point –"_

_            "What is your point?"_

_            "I mean, don't think much about your prospective girlfriend, alright? She loves you too! Who-Hoo! Who could the poor girl be? Tsk – ITAI! What was that for?"_

_            "For being such an idiot. I wasn't thinking of anybody... I was just letting my brain cells rest!"_

_            "Oh. Heh-heh..."_

END FLASHBACK

            He was right though... I was thinking of someone... but not some girl. I was actually thinking about him... why he always manage to get under my skin... why he treats me slightly different from the others... I was thinking about him.

            _And always him..._

            Tears fell involuntarily from my eyes once again; remembering the little boy I knew would be in my house at this time...

Is he waiting for me? 

Is he worried?

Is he scared?

I wanted to stand up and make my way home... but I couldn't seem to make my body move. Maybe I'm more exhausted than I thought...

Maybe a short nap would ease the ache inside me... maybe when I open my eyes everything would be back to normal... maybe my bank account would be as depleted as I thought it already was... 

Maybe when I wake up, Akira would be here, towering over me... peering into my bleary eyes and ruffling my hair, a hand stretched out ho help me up...

Maybe...

Maybe...

* * * * * * * *

TBC

* * * * * * * *


	6. Part 4: Transcendence

Author:** Simply Kim**

Title:** Little Akira... The Tokyo Terrorist!                       **

Genre/ratings:** (Shounen-ai /Yaoi) (Humour / (a bit of) Angst)**

Length:** (4/5) **

Disclaimers:** The series I'm referring to obviously do not belong to me, only this story does.**

...................................

**Part 4: Transcendence**

****

...................................

            It took all of Hanagata's strength to stop Sakuragi from going out on a killing spree.

            It took all of Hanagata's strength to stop Fujima from going out on a killing spree.

            It took all of Hanagata's strength to stop himself from doing the same.

            Slowly, he rubbed tired circles against the knotted muscles of his temples, intent on vanquishing the remarkable amount of pain dislodging his ability to think clearly.

            "Look, going out and decapitating some slob isn't going to help matters much." He snapped at the two idiots pacing back and forth and practically radiating killer auras that vibrated inside the hospital suite.

            "No." Sakuragi seethed, cracking his knuckles as he did. "I'm not gonna kill some _slob_. I'm going to kill that chibi-smiley!" He growled angrily, honey-coloured eyes spitting fire. "I'm gonna slice him thinly with a pizza cutter and – OW! Will you stop doing that you old fart?"

            That earned him another sound box on the ears. "I have the authority to do so you miscreant. Didn't you just hear Hanagata's words?"

            "I did – but..."

            "I didn't." Fujima glared at Maki, his eyes as fiery as Sakuragi's own. "If he doesn't kill that stupid kid, I will!"

            "Kenji, look." Hanagata sighed. "I want to break every bone in the kid's body for being so insensitive, but you have to understand that Akira-chan –"

            "**DON'T** call him Akira-**_chan_**!" Fujima grated out indignantly. "He is no cute little kid... he's an absolute monster!"

            His better half sighed once again, and took off his glasses, bowing his head and pinching the bridge of his nose to contain the mixture of rising impatience, anger and resentment that was bubbling up to his psyche. He had to remain as level-headed as possible, since it was obvious that he was the only one that was so... well, except for Maki and probably the contemplative Jin staring at Rukawa's frail slumbering form on pristine starched bedsheets.

            "**_Kenji_**." He pressed firmly, steel vibrating in his vocal chords. Slowly, he raised his head, meeting Fujima's hysterical stare. His gaze sharpened, pupils mere points as fury raged through his veins. "Stop. Acting. Like. A. Damned. Lunatic. **_Now_**."

            It was probably the threat lurking deep within his tone that made the team's vice-captain take hasty steps back. But then again, it was major fact that Hanagata _never_ got this angry before since the first time they met.

            "Guys, keep calm." Jin's soft voice intruded upon the brewing hostility that needs only to be sparked before igniting to a full-fledged fight. "Instead of quarrelling, why don't we all just focus our energies on thinking how to solve this problem we're having?"

            "Right." Maki inputted. "We have to think this through if we all want to survive. This isn't just Rukawa's problem, Sendoh's problem, Fujima's or Hanagata's or the baka _saru_'s problem."

            "Hey!"

            "We are all in this together people, and I don't mean to sound too corny, but we are a team. We are of one unit. One problem is everyone's especially something as severe as this. I don't even know if anyone is having this crisis now, or is this realistic enough to make it to the Seventh Wonder of the World –"

            "Eighth, sempai." Hikoichi corrected as he flipped through the pages of his trusty clipboard. "Eighth Wonder of the World."

            "Pfft!" Fujima chuckled. "You didn't know that? You got into college and didn't know that there are officially seven wonders in our very complex world?"

            "Seriously?" Hanagata stared at him as if he had grown two heads. "Maki... you don't... know that?"

            Maki glared at their both amused and shocked faces. Okay, so he slipped, but that didn't mean he was a total idiot, right? He was just testing them... to see if they knew... "I was just piquing your attention you know." He said, annoyed.

            "It was effective." Jin snickered. "Who's so stupid as not to actually know that?"

            "There are wonders in this world?"

            All turned aghast to Sakuragi's clueless features. And after a few moments, they shook their heads, muttering about weird redheads that needed more brains and monkeys sticking to cages, staring back expectantly at Maki's unusually pale (pun intended), face. '_Wonder of wonders. There was someone more deserving of the dunce award_. He thought in disbelief. _At least it's not me... but then again... who's next in line?_' He cleared his throat, placing both hands in the pockets of his jeans. "As I was saying... well, we should just help each other and start acting like adults, for it is only through that, that our souls would be connected as one and thus solving the problem at hand." He finished triumphantly. "Understand?"

            Silence.

            "Actually, no, but we'll try to process what you just said for a few hours and maybe we would be able to finally get it." Fujima blinked.

            "I kinda got lost in the 'souls' part. Do elaborate..." Kogure's mouth hung partially open.

            Maki sighed in irritation. "Okay, guys, enough tea... You're awake!"

            Surprised at their captain's outburst, everyone stilled, eyes slowly following the direction he was currently staring at.

            "You're awake!" They chorused.

            "I knew that." Came the groggy voice from the flat cushions of the hospital bed. "I heard you the first time... you're noisy."

            Sakuragi growled. "It's because we are worried, you idiot!"

            "My brain must have gone kaput... last time I checked, you are the idiot."

            Hanagata, sighing with both relief and concern, sat down on the side of the bed, his hand involuntarily brushing away the tufts of dishevelled hair away from Rukawa's pallid face. He silently noted that the blue eyes, once determined and full of life, now had traces of suffering... and a flicker of something he branded as hopelessness. They were looking everywhere but at him. "Kae... uh... Rukawa-kun, don't be like that." He admonished gently. "We were all worried, what Sakuragi-kun said was true... and he was the one who carried you on his shoulders to the hospital – here – so you shouldn't take that tone with him, alright?"

            "_Hai_..." The younger boy nodded slightly, voice gruff with something akin to emotion. He remembered everything that happened that afternoon. And no, he wasn't asleep then at all.

He just feigned it because he was so tired...

So tired of taking care for someone who did not care one bit about him...

So tired of picking up after someone who did not have any redeeming quality except sheer stubbornness that he did not even know why he found so irresistible...

So tired of trying to catch up on all the schoolwork he had left behind as he took care of his responsibility single-handedly out of guilt amidst all protests of his friends...

So tired of always looking out for someone else's health when his own was slowly deteriorating...

So tired of being alone in the house even if he actually had someone living with him...

So damned tired of loving someone so altruistically that he never asked for anything but the presence of that beloved person... he never asked anything at all.

If only he could turn back time and actually paid attention to his experiment more and was careful... he wouldn't have made such stupid mistake. He was a Rukawa... and no one in the Rukawa clan was like him, at least, that was what he thought before his parents died when he was eight. Now...

Now, he didn't even want to think what they would probably say if they were alive... probably something along the lines of 'Kaede, we are so disappointed in you...' or 'what have you done this time?'. Was he jinxed? Why were all these happening to him all at once?

He sighed, licking his chapped lips, surrendering to the tension zapping back and forth in his nerves. He did not want to hear that from them – ever... he did not want to hear such words from anyone... and that was his driving force... his reason why he wanted to excel in something no other person could... like basketball.

And perhaps, that was part of the reason why he took care of Sendoh in the first place... or at least, the miniature monster that went by the same name.

The other part of his whole reason was that...

Contrary to what most of the student population believed...

He actually cared.

...................................

            Koshino sighed as he scanned the broad expanse of the living room before him. Yes, the kid was Sendoh alright. He never changed from the slob that was his younger self... oh wait... he **_was_**his younger self. He shook his head, stooping down and picking up the remains of what appeared to be a cereal box – with semi-wet Cheerios still stuck on the ripped edges. It seemed that the young terror licked the box clean – literally.

            "Akira... oi... Akira...!" He called out, hoping that the boy would be wise enough to investigate whoever it was that opened the front door.

            Footsteps came bounding to where he was, and judging from their sound, the one running was anxious... and he hoped that it was indeed true for Rukawa should normally been home hours ago.

"Who's the –" Came the angry tone, rising above the deafening rumbling of feet. Sendoh appeared, a baseball bat in hand, obviously prepared to strike if the one who came in was someone he did not know. '_Wow._' Koshino thought in amazement. '_So this guy does listen sometimes..._' "Oh... it's just you."

It was probably the disappointed tone that made him twitch. He knew he wasn't such a perfect and exciting person for anyone to greet so heart-warmingly, but this was ridiculous. The normal Sendoh Akira would have pounced happily on him by now, with him being his loyal best friend and all. But then again, things weren't exactly what you call normal in his world anymore.

People were getting smaller... being thrown back to their childhood.

Oh joy.

"Hello to you too." Koshino retorted sarcastically, throwing the empty cardboard box right back at Sendoh. "I'm very happy that you decided to welcome me oh-so-warmly." There was a flash of something in the child's eyes that made him back off a little. He did not know if it was annoyance, anger, or something else still unidentified. He hoped it wasn't his second guess, because the baseball bat Sendoh was wielding was made of steel. That would hurt.

"Don't push it." The kid spat, throwing his bat behind, not caring even a wee bit as something shattered in its wake. "Why are you here anyway? And where is the stupid guy who lives here... the one who keeps on ragging at me to do this and that?"

Koshino's mouth was hanging open now. Could he possibly be talking about Rukawa Kaede? The one who unselfishly sheltered him? And fed him? And pampered him so much that it literally took everything costing him and he was now lying in a hospital because of 'poor habits'? How could he talk about him that way? His brows knitted in anger. "I am here because Rukawa-kun is doing something important, and the other guys asked me to watch you while he's away." He said stiltedly.

"Hmph! He never even thought that someone is living with him who doesn't have anything to eat for dinner." Sendoh muttered in annoyance. "Some guardian."

It was the spiteful tone that did him in. that was it. He was at the end of his tether, and he did not wish to hurt the horrible monster because Rukawa asked it of him days before, with him and his reputation of being the major hothead in mind... but this...

This was something he **_cannot_** ever take.

With renewed purpose, he grabbed the boy's arm and gripped him hard, wincing a bit as the boy struggled and bit him. He did not loosen his grip... and he did not have the intention to. Angrily, he dragged the boy out, pressing the automatic lock inside before slamming it close.

"Let me GO!"

Ignoring the constant spats of venom, he pushed him kicking and screaming inside his car and strapped him, growling as rebellious fists hit his head repeatedly. The blows weren't hard, but they weren't slight either... in a way, they still hurt.

The moment he turned on the engine, the war began.

"Let me outta here!"

"No."

"This is kidnapping!"

"No one will believe you... and why the hell would I kidnap such an evil kid like you?"

"Let me out! Now!"

"I said no."

"Let me out now, or else..."

"Or else what, you're gonna snitch on me and tell _some guardian_ that I'm harassing you?"

At that, the kid sat back, letting out a loud whoosh of breath. Koshino had hit a nerve.

But he wasn't going to apologise...

Best friend or no best friend, kid or no kid...

Sendoh Akira deserved the worst the present had to offer.

...................................

            "Okay, talk."

            Rukawa stared at the worried features of his best friend. "Aren't you supposed to be going home now? Auntie Kanami will kill you if you if you don't go now."

            "Nah, I told her I'll stay here with you for a while." Sakuragi's honey brown eyes scrutinised him. "You have much explaining to do you idiot."

            "Hn." Rukawa glared at him in mock annoyance. "You're the one to talk, you're the one who doesn't want to tell the others that your back is already fully healed."

            Sakuragi sighed, shaking his head, plopping on the plush furniture beside the bed. "Look, Kaede... we haven't talked for a while... and obviously, the last time we did, you left out the important stuff..."

            "..."

            "Like you're missing out on studying, or losing money because of the Smiley's expensive tastes, or losing track of your health because you're so busy doing everything by yourself."

            "I..."

            "Kitsune, you can't do everything by yourself. We are here... and I know this may sound very cheesy, but you aren't as alone as you think you are."

            Rukawa snickered, his azure eyes laughing with the stretch of his lips. "You sound so wise, Hanamichi... Is this the way you are when you talk to Fujii-chan?" Casually, he leant back against the head of the hospital bed, the sheets crinkling soundly as he moved.

            The sheets... the white sheets...

            Gods, he hated the colour of the sheets... the blinding colour that had given him so many adverse memories ever since he was young.

White was the colour of the sheets that covered the bodies of his parents when they were carted towards the waiting ambulance after the car accident when he was six.

White was the colour of the marble marker of their grave.

White was the colour of the house that was left to him, the one that was nearly taken away by his father's greedy 'friends' when they set everything up to snatch the property away... and white was the colour of their prison clothes after they were caught and sentenced for life when the scheme blew up.

And white was the colour of the hospital he was thrust into when he tried to commit suicide the day he turned eleven.

He closed his eyes wearily, trying hard not to notice the pristine quality of the room... and yet unable to do so. He sighed.

"Very funny." Sakuragi glared menacingly at him. "I am always like this!"

"No you're not."

"Are too!"

"Are not."

"Too!"

"Not."

"ARGH! You are impossible!"

Rukawa chuckled in pure mirth. "Look who's talking." Memories of past failures came crashing on him... failures. But if there was one thing for him to be proud of, even in those failures, he trusted in himself, trusted his judgment. He fought and strove and he struggled. He worked hard to attain his goal... and it was just his luck that he did not make it. He was insufferable then... especially when it came to basketball where he set his archrival Sendoh as his primary aspiration.

Sendoh.

His good cheer faded almost instantaneously at the unbidden thought of the child stranded alone in the house without anything to eat. "Hanamichi... Sendoh is..."

Sakuragi grinned, flashing a thumbs-up sign in an overly victorious manner. "The old man ordered poor Koshino to take care of the _gaki_ while you're here, so don't worry!"

"Do you think..."

The red-haired fiend snickered. "Yeah, yeah, I think he's not that heartless that he wouldn't want to visit you when you're this sick you know! He'll probably pester Koshino to let him once he settled in."

As if on cue, a shriek of protest issued out from just outside the door... and Rukawa was just disappointed that the one doing the protesting was obviously not the grown-up... it was the little boy.

And then the door opened.

Judging from the way Sendoh was hanging, suspended from the neck of his shirt, he knew that Koshino, who was panting from over-exertion, was the one who dragged the kid into coming. Just the mere thought of it pierced his heart so deeply that he leant forward as if gasping for air; thankful for the immediate support Sakuragi gave him.

He grabbed his friend's hand and squeezed – hard. Slowly, he turned towards the newcomers, a slight smile on his face. It must have been quite a shock for Koshino to see him like that amidst problems, that he dropped the kid unceremoniously on the marble floor with a loud thud and smiled sheepishly back. "Oh, Rukawa-kun... Akira and I came to visit... he wanted to... well..."

Rukawa understood and he shook his head, indicating his knowledge of what really happened. "Ah, thank you Koshino-sempai"

Then, his eyes focused on the fidgeting boy staring straight at him, eyes glassy with something akin to pain. The moment their eyes met, the younger one's azure gaze shifted away, landing on the vase of white roses sitting on the side table. "He dragged me here." He muttered darkly. "I didn't want to come and see you looking so weak and pathetic."

Ouch.

The knife that was cruelly plunged into Rukawa's heart just a while ago twisted painfully. "I understand." He murmured, trying to keep a straight face as his fragile soul began to shatter.

Koshino glared at Sendoh's dark features, hand itching to strike. "Why you..."

Sakuragi was turning livid with rage. "Teme..." He started. "You ungrateful little runt..." he was about to go clobber the boy when Rukawa's grasping fingers tightened their hold on him, bruising his arm in the process, making him wince and keep his temper in check. _Must not kill... Must not kill... Must not kill..._

"Akira..." Rukawa said quietly, holding out his hand at the eight-year-old boy. "Could you just... stay for... a while?" His heart skipped a beat as Sendoh started immediately forward, as if to reach out for his hand... another step...

And Sendoh turned, escaping quickly out the door.

A tear slipped down Rukawa's eye.

Sendoh Akira... He was gone.

...................................

A/N: Yesh, I updated. Yesh, it has been more than a year... but the juice came back (Thank you Chache and Aki) that I found the inspiration once again to continue this. So enjoy! Feedbacks people!


	7. Side Story 3: Hands

Author:** Simply Kim**

Title:** Little Akira... The Tokyo Terrorist! **

Genre/ratings:** (Shounen-ai /Yaoi) (Humour / (a bit of) Angst)**

Length:** (4.5/5) **

Disclaimers:** The series I'm referring to obviously do not belong to me, only this story does.**

* * *

**Side Story 3: Hands**

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****

It was a fact that whatever Sendoh Akira wanted, he got.

If he didn't, there would be hell to pay.

Coupled with an acute attitude problem, it was something nobody dared ignore... and yet, his family seemed to love him. Too much. However, of all the family members, there was one who stood out – the eldest of the brood of three, Sendoh Kaoru.

He loved Akira the most...

He loved Akira to death.

**X o X o X**

"It's my turn!"

Koshino Hiroaki, one of the neighbourhood kids, cowered, stepping obediently back, away from his own brand new bicycle. He couldn't help but do so, for he knew the power packed in Akira's small fists when they had their first scuffle a couple of years ago. They fought because of a lost kitty; fought for its ownership... it was just bad luck that they both had infamous tempers. And although he had learned how to curb his the moment he met Akira, Hiroaki lost it. He wanted the kitten so much.

He could still remember the goose egg he came home with – and the horribly panicky shrieking of his mother, threatening to sue his playmate's family for the damage done to his face.

"Go ahead." He said quietly. Motioning for his friend to take the bike for a short ride, not willing to say that he was supposed to use it for five minutes more. He did not even know why or how they became friends. Maybe it was because he felt pity for the only kid in the block who did not have one... but then again, when one took into consideration the fact that Akira had been the one to instigate the relationship by proclaiming selfishly that they were friends, it was not probably the case. Who cared anyway? He didn't. He was satisfied in a way, because even if they did not exactly have any sort of understanding between them, Akira was such a refreshing change from the other youngsters he was so used to bullying.

Now he knew how it felt to be bullied – though why he was resisting so weakly was something he had yet to figure out...

_Maybe someday_...

He shook his head, focusing once again at the ecstatic features of his playmate. He was certainly annoyed... and yet he just couldn't resist the fanged grin that was offered him when Akira was playing. What was it his Akira's brother said?

"It's part of his charm."

Surprised, Hiroaki jumped. His eyes straying wildly to whomever it was that disturbed his moments of contemplation. "Ah, Kaoru-niichan! Don't scare me like that!" He glared, all to no avail, for it took only one look on his face and the older Sendoh was immediately doubled up in complete amusement.

"You really are cute! No wonder Akira is so happy that you are his friend!" Kaoru laughed, ruffling Hiroaki's hair fondly. "Take care of him while I'm you're both at school okay?"

Hiroaki frowned. "He doesn't need it Kaoru-niichan, if someone touches him the wrong way that person would be going home with a blackened eye." He was so sure of it, and showed his confidence in his words by nodding twice. "He's evil."

Kaoru grinned, looking back at Akira. "No he's not. He's just... wilful. Something that runs in the family." He gave Hiroaki a mischievous grin.

The child shook his head. "No. You're nice!"

Kaoru only smiled.

**X o X o X**

"Oniichan, I want a bike like Hiro-chan's!" Akira grinned cheerfully up at his older brother. "I heard it was ex... expensive! It must mean that it's special, right?"

Kaoru smiled down at the child gripping his hand almost hopefully. He need not hope though... he was sure to get one for him. He loved him so much that whatever he wanted, he was willing to give at any cost. "I'll give you one just like it!" He answered back cheerfully.

"YAY!" Akira let go of his brother's hands and hopped happily. "Wait 'till Hiro-chan hears that I'm gonna have a bike like his maybe even better than his!"

So happy was he that he did not notice the troubled look that passed through his brother's face.

**X o X o X**

Akira had always loved his brother's hands. They were very warm and very soft – save from few spots where the skin was particularly stiff. But did not matter to him. He felt happy whenever those hands touched him... he felt safe – secure.

They were the hands that helped raise him, the hands that helped nurture him, the hands that led him to a better future, hands that made him feel special, hands that had given him his every whim. Of course the hands of his family were just the same, they all doted on him after all, but his oniichan's hands – they were the best.

And they were the ones that would be giving him the coveted bike tomorrow afternoon...

That would make the gift even more special.

**X o X o X**

The sound of blaring police sirens woke Hiroaki up. Vision bleary, he decided to look out the window and check what it was about. At age eight, he knew many things... just because he watched too much television. Now, the scene outside painted something familiar. What did grown-ups call it?

_Ah... an accident_.

He scratched his arm thoughtfully, alarm bells ringing in his ears.

_I wonder who it is_...

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Well, he did not have anything to do with it, so why should he worry? What he should think about was Akira-chan – and how his brand new bike would look like.

**X o X o X**

"Ah! I was here first!"

"Don't start with me! I was here first and that's final!"

"No! I was here first! Get lost!"

In Akira took a clean swipe at the intruder. He didn't seem to be from around the area, and yet he had the guts to claim his territory! Glaring, he took another swipe using his plastic baseball bat and was gratified as the sound of hard plastic slapping against flesh entered his ears.

"OW!"

And the sound of the guy in pain was even more pleasing to the ears. That showed him! He was the boss around here! Hmph!

"Akira-chan!"

The sound of his name made him smile, and he eagerly looked up, ecstatic... only for his enthusiasm to fade as he saw that rather than his Kaoru-niichan with his new bike, it was Hiro-chan dragging his own bike.

_Where are you, Kaoru-niichan...? _He thought crossly. _I want to see my bike!_

"Ah! Shin-chan! You're here too!" Hiroaki grinned happily, and, noticing the lump still steaming on the other's head, winced. "What happened to you?"

"He happened." Shinichi glared at Akira, eyes slitted, effect heightened by the mole under one. "He hit me! I was just waiting for you here!"

"WAH!" Hiroaki cried out in horror, glaring at the perpetrator angrily. "Why did you do that, Akira-chan?"

His best friend glared back. "He started it!"

Maki Shinichi, even at age nine, couldn't help but be on the defensive. "No I didn't! You started it!"

"You did!"

"No, you did!"

"You –"

"AKIRA!"

He looked up in surprise. "'Neechan?"

His sister's face was paler than usual. As if on cue, a twinge erupted inside him. He wasn't sure why but he felt that something was off. He did not like it. Shaking his head, he shrugged it off. Maybe his sister just put too much powder on her face...

It was probably nothing.

She reached out her hand and he did the same.

Their fingers interlocked...

_Oneechan's hands are so cold._

**X o X o X**

An hour later, the rain started to pour, and the boys left in the playground couldn't do anything but run for shelter. "Shin-chan, why do you think 'neechan made Akira-chan come home? It's still early..." He put his fisted hand under his chin and sighed. "Now I have no one to fight with."

Shinichi's eyebrows twitched. "You're actually looking forward to fighting with that guy?" He shook his head, slouching on the old shed bench. "You are weird."

"But I want to see his new bike!"

"He wasn't carrying any bike!"

Hiroaki sighed yet again. "Kaoru-niichan was supposed to meet us here so we can take a look at it together... I brought my bike and called you so we three can play... and you can meet my best friend..."

"I thought I am your best friend?" the darker kid pouted.

Hiroaki grinned at him. "Yup, you are... but he is too!"

"Eh? How could that work – ah... you..."

The drenched form of Sendoh Akira cut off Shinichi's words. He couldn't see his eyes, and frankly, he felt a foreboding sign of... His eyes widened. Gripped tightly in one hand was a baseball bat – not the one that hit him on the head... a longer one.

A wooden bat... _What is he going to do with it?_ He felt Hiroaki stiffen beside him, and then shrink back. Akira's eyes, now that he could see them from the light of the lamppost dimmed by the pouring rain, were crazed.

Hiroaki's breath was faster now... and he had the sudden urge to run. _What's with him... Akira-chan? Akira-chan, what's... _Slowly, his friend turned to the wet bike in the corner of the shed...

And Akira lost it.

With quick strides, approached it, stopped as if meditating... and raised the bat high up in the air, tears streaming from his eyes.

And with an agonised cry, he swung.

He swung...

And he swung...

And he swung once more, repeating the process until the bike was ruined. He did not pay any heed to his friend's own tears. He did not pay any heed to the new guy's incessant screaming. All he saw was the bike... the bike that he wanted his brother to give him. He waited for him... waited, waited... but he didn't come.

_The bike... because of the bike he's now..._

_This bike is evil... I must kill it – I must kill it!_

Random thoughts swirled in his young mind. Tears fell steadily... he was lost, and yet his arms still functioned.

Pounding...

Pounding...

Pounding...

Until he couldn't see from the film of wetness, until his arms were tired. Until he felt someone's strong hands taking the bat away from him. Until he heard soothing voices whispering in his ear '_It wasn't your fault... He just happened to pass by on the way to buy your bike... The members of his school's basketball team... It wasn't your fault... He was in a gang war... It's not your fault..._'. Until he could barely hear his friend's own agony of losing something so precious...

Until he couldn't feel anything else but emptiness...

He couldn't feel anything... nothing at all.

**X o X o X**

Hiroaki was inconsolable, and his grief showing even through his infamous flares of temper. He was just wondering inwardly whether he was grief-stricken because of what happened to Kaoru-niichan or what happened to his bike... or what would happen now that he and Akira-chan weren't speaking anymore.

The last sacrament was finally administered just yesterday morning, and here he was, staring off into a far-off space with his old friend, Maki Shinichi by his side. They weren't talking, but he could feel the support emanating from him. And for that... he was grateful.

He was lucky to have someone like him for a friend.

**X o X o X**

DING-DONG!

The sound of the doorbell was deafening on the outside, and briefly, Akira wondered if it was any louder inside. Maybe they couldn't hear the doorbell anymore because they had all gone deaf.

His theory was then disproved when the door opened. He was about to ask for Hiroaki when he realised that it was him who answered the door, staring back at him as hard as he was. "Ah... Hiro-chan...?"

His friend fidgeted. "Akira-chan."

Silence.

Then, much to his amazement, Hiroaki smiled. "Come in, Akira-chan..." he reached out and grabbed his hand.

_Hiro-chan's hand is warm._

And Akira smiled.

* * *

**OWARI **

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_**A/N:** Couldn't help it. I had to explain the brother thing that kept popping up in the previous chapters... Did I do the real timeline justice through this? Hope so. What do you think? One more chapter to go!_


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